VIDEO | Nature guide shares her passion for wildlife

Hearing the sounds of nature, going sightseeing and taking bush game drives are some of the activities people do to get away from busy city life and relax.

Didi Mahlo spends her days in that environment, ensuring a seamless experience for guests.

The 27-year-old works as a nature field guide at the Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in Krugersdorp on the West Rand.

“I take guests on guided game drives where I get to speak to them about the wildlife, animals, nature and even the history of South Africa,” she said.

“The main part of what I do is getting people to understand the nature of animals, their behaviour and how they communicate so that they can see that animals also have personalities and characters.”

Growing up in Johannesburg, Mahlo had always known that she wanted to work with animals but thought that could only be possible if she became a veterinarian.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a vet, but I wanted to work with animals that roamed freely, and that’s when I discovered that there’s something called guiding,” she said.

To get into the field, Mahlo studied ecotourism before pursuing a Field Guides Association of Southern Africa certificate that enabled her to become a qualified field guide.

“In addition to those qualifications, I also studied tourism management and ecotourism management. Although these aren’t needed to be a guide, they help with understanding the environment and how to manage it for the animals.”

Apart from working with animals, Mahlo said she enjoys meeting people from all walks of life because she also learns a lot from them.

As with any job, Mahlo faces challenges in her line of work.

“The biggest challenge has to be unpredictable weather, which can determine the success of the game drive. When it’s too cold, some animals want to hide. Another challenge is language barriers that prevent me from communicating effectively with some overseas guests,” she said.

While Mahlo loves all animals, the ones she never gets tired of seeing are lions and zebras.

“Lion sightings are fun because lions are big, beautiful animals. It’s also always interesting to see people’s reactions to the lions. Another exciting one is zebra sightings because how they behave always looks suspicious and funny, and I know there will always be drama,” she laughed.

Lion sightings are fun because lions are big, beautiful animals. It’s also always interesting to see people’s reactions to the lions.

—  Didi Mahlo

For aspiring field guides, Mahlo lists the soft skills needed as having a passion for animals, confidence, patience and problem-solving abilities.

Looking ahead, Mahlo hopes she can one day conduct guided tours where people can explore the whole of SA.

“I may not be a field guide in the next 10 years, but I want to have an agency or organisation that will help people see our country and wildlife through my eyes.”

Sowetan